Practice-keyboard.



A. J. DANIEL.

PRACTICE KEYBOARD.

APPLICATION FILED APR.24,1913.

Patented Jau. 19, 1915.

.2r/fg: 3. 3 3

ANNA JENNINGS DANIEL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

PRACTICE-KEYBOARD.

Application led April 24, 1913.

To all 'whom t may concern Be it known that I, ANNA JENNINGS AMEL, acitizen of the United States, residing at N o. 1604 South Grand avenue,in the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Practice-Keyboards, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to practice keyboards and consists in the novelconstruction, conibination, and arrangement of its parts as illustratedin the accompanying drawings, and hereinafter described, and the objectof my invention, is to provide a practice keyboard as a means fornoiseless practice of finger exercises and scales, at the same timeaffording the requisite training for sight and touch.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1, is a transverse sectional view,Fig. 2, a. top view of the same, showing hinge joint, Fig. 3, a detailsectional view of adjustable keystop, and Fig. 4, a perspective view ofthe inner end hinged sections of skeleton framework and springs, of apractice keyboard, provided with my invention, the nature of which isdefined in the claims hereinafter presented.

Similar reference numerals refer to like parts in all views.

The white keys 1, and the black keys 2, for this device rest on flatmetal springs 3, 4, respectively, Fig. 1, which project obliquelyforward and upward; the lower ends of the springs 3, 4, are fittedbeneath a continuous metal strip 5, over metal strip 6, through all ofwhich screws or bolts pass, 7, to secure the springs to the wood support8, the springs being individually secured by a pair of screws 9, 9, andat the required height, over the rear ends of the springs, the keys 1,2, are pivotally mounted on the rod 10, and accurately spaced from eachother by washers (not shown), each key having a circular hole for thereception of rod 10, the rod 10, being supported at intervals bybrackets 11, which take the place of washers where used, and are securedto the wood pieces 8, by screws 12; the wood pieces 8, 13, Figs. 1, 4,are made secure to hinge 28, with screws 32, at their inner ends, and towood brackets at their outer ends, to prevent the black keys 2, fromflying oft the springs 4, when released; a strip 27, is likewiseattached under the white keys to each of the front uprights 29, and saiduprights Specification of Letters Patent.

-suit the strength of a Patented Jan. 19, 1915. Serial No. 763,374.

29, are similarly attached at the forward edges of the keyboard; theguide posts 17, are mounted on strip 27, at proper intervals, enteringapertures 16, in white keys as lateral guides; beneath the front edgesof the white keys, a felt pad, 21, acts as a noiseless stop when thekeys are depressed.

In the above mentioned particulars, my improved practice keyboard, issomewhat like that described in Letters Patent No. 921,806, granted tome May the 18, 1909.

In carrying out my present invention in combination with the above, Ihave made extensions 18, at the lower front edges of the white keys 1,Figs. 1, 2, which project slightly forward beneath similar backwardprojections 19, Figs. 1, 2, 4, at inner top edge of front upright piece29, to keep the white keys level, and in position on the springs 3, whenthe keyboard is folded, orhandled; this backward projection 19, ispadded beneath with felt 20, Fig. 1, 4, to serve as a bumper when thewhite keys are released, after being depressed on felt pad 21, whichwhite keys 1, Fig. 1, are limited in their downward movement, byadjustable keystops 22, Figs. 1, 2, 4, which key-stop is a piece ofmetal having its top edge, or upper side, padded with felt 23, withzigzag perforations in its wall side, 25, Fig. 3, through which it canbe raised and lowered, by shifting to right, or left, up, or down, (tochilds lingers) on set screws 24, Figs. 1, 4, and made stationary athorizontal notches in the angles, by thumb nuts 26, to front bottompiece 27.

In the lower forward ends of the black keys 2, I have made grooves 15,Fig. 1, in which the springs 4, being rigidly secured beneath continuousmetal strip 5, each individually by a pair of screws 9, to the woodsupport 8, and having their free ends curved slightly downward, slideforward, when the keys are depressed, to prevent the same from movinglaterally, or otherwise than up and down as intended; the back stop 13,is padded with felt 14, to act as noiseless stop to black keys whenreleased, after being depressed; said black keys 2, together with thewhite keys 1, are threaded by rod 10, Figs. 1, 4, the rod 10, beingsupported at intervals by metal brackets 11, Fig. 1, which are made fastto the wood support 8, with screw 12, and having circular hole near thetop through which the rod 10, passes, and is thus secured at the rod; aplurality required height above the wood support 8. The hinge 28, Figs.1, il, is made with continuous rib 30, having upright extensions 31, atrear, secured to the wood pieces 8, 13, 27 and 29, with screws 32, andis provided with corner pockets 33, Fig. 4, at top to rear, and withright angled extensions 38, at bottom to rear, and in front, withsimilar projections 89, extending up and over the front uprights 29,while the white keys either side next hinge 28, are undercut to fit overthe hinge metal, leaving the inner side of white keys flush with theyhinge surface to admit of imperceptible vbreak in the keyboard when inposition, andthe keys are depressed.

From the above description, it is obvious that with my improvedconstruction, apractice keyboard is provided, of neat and iinishedappearance, which can be noiselessly and effectively used for practicepurposes.

What l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. ln a practice keyboard, a body frame; a supporting rod thereon; meanson said body frame for holding said rod stationary above said bodyframe; a plurality of white and black keys pivotally mounted on said ofsprings rigidly fastened at their lower ends on said body frame beneaththe rear end portions of said keys, each individually with a pair ofscrews; -a metal strip secured over the fastened end portions of saidsprings; lsaid springs projecting forwardly and upwardly with uniform4slant and strength, and having their free end portions curved slightlydownward and slidably supporting said keys; means on said body frame forindividually guiding the white keys and supporting them laterally;cooperating stops on the forward vportions of said white keys and theadjacent portion of the body frame for limiting the upward movement ofsaid keys; the black keys having longitudinal grooves in theirundersides Vin which the forwardend portions of the respective springstherefore are seated; and means on said 'b ody frame for limiting theupward movement of the black keys.

; 2. In a practice keyboard, a body frame; a supporting rod thereon;means onsaid frame -for holding said rod stationary above said bodyframe; a plurality of white and black keys pivotally mounted on saidrod; a plurality of springs rigidly fastened at their lower ends on saidbody frame beneath the rear end portions of said keys, each individuallywith a pair of screws; a metal strip secured over the fastened endportions of said springs; said springs projecting lforwardly andupwardly with uniform slant and strength, and having their free endportions f curved-'slightly downward and slidably supporting said keys;means` on said body frame for individually guiding the white keys andsupporting them laterally Vcooperating stops on the forward portions ofsaid white keys and the adjacent portion of the body frame for limitingthe upward movement of said keys, and intervening felt pads;

their under sides in which the forward end portions of the respectivesprings therefore are seated; means on the said body framefor limitingthe yupward movement of the black keys, and intervening felt pads; andmeans for limiting -the downward ystroke of the `white keys, said meanscomprising a vertically adjustable horizontal strip, underlying theforward portions of said keys. 1

3. Afkeyboard of the 'character described, comprising a plurality ofpivoted keys; resilient means for supporting 'said keys in normal raisedposition; and means for limiting the downward stroke of the keysfsaidmeans comprising aI vertically adjustable horizontal strip, `underlyingforward'portions of the keys. Y"

il. A keyboard of the character described, comprising a plurality ofpivoted'keys; 'fresilient means for supporting 'said keys in normalraised position; and means for limiting they downward stroke of thekeys, said means comprising a horizontal strip having like inclinedAslots at'diife'rent places in its lengthfand supporting studsprojectingthroughY said'y slots, whereby an endwise movement of thestriponsaidstuds effects a bodily vertical movement of thestrip'.

5. A keyboard of the character described, comprising a plurality of-pivoted keys; resilient means normal raised position; and means-forlimiting theV downward stroke of the keys, said means comprising a`horizontal 'strip having like V'inclined slots at different places inits length, supporting fst'uds projecting through said slots, whereby anendwise movement of the strip on lisaid studs effects a bodily verticalmovement of the strip, and means Vfor fastening the' strip in adjustedposition.

6. A keyboard of the character described, comprising a plurality ofpivoted keys; resilient vmeans for supporting said keys in normal raisedposition; and means for limiting the downward stroke of the keys, saidmeans comprising a ihorizontalfstrip having like'zig-zag Yslots atdierent places in its length,l said slots having horizontal notches inthe angles thereof, supporting studs projecting through said slots, andmeans. cooperating Awith said studs for fastening said strip in adjustedposition. s v

7, A practicekeyboard comprising a sectional body 'frame," thel bodyyiframe' sections the black keys having longitudinal v1grooves in forsupporting said keys' in gitudinal 'members a supportingrrod above therear base member; means on rear base member for holding said rodstationary; a padded upper longitudinal frame member above said rod; anupstanding strip at the front of said front base member, said upstandingstrip having an inwardly projecting padded ledge; white and black keyshinged at their rear ends on said supporting rods, the white keys havingshoulders at their front ends projecting under said padded ledge on saidupstanding front base strip, the black keys having shoulders at theirrear inner ends adapted to abut against upper padded frame member;springs rigidly secured on said rear base member and projectingforwardly and upwardly with substantially equal slant and strength, thefree end of said springs being turned slightly downward and slidablyengaging the under sides of the keys; the black keys having longitudinalslots in which their respective springs rest; means on said front basemember engaging the white keys for guiding and laterally supportingthem; and a hinge connecting the meeting ends of the frame sections,said hinge being secured to the inner ends of the longitudinal framemembers and acting as a support and tie Copies of this patent may beobtained for therefor, the hinge having flange extensions engaging theside faces of the said frame members.

8. In a practice keyboard of the character described, a sectional bodyframe; the body frame sections each comprising spaced front and rearlongitudinal base members; an upper longitudinal frame member above therear base member; an upstanding longitudinal strip at the front of thefront base member; a longitudinal supporting rod for the keys; and ahinge connecting the meeting ends of said body frame sections, saidhinge being secured to the inner ends of the respective longitudinalframe members, upstanding strips and key-supporting rods, and acting asa support and tie therefor; said hinge having flange extensions engagingthe faces of said frame members; and brackets placed at intervals, madefast to the rear base member, and having a circular hole near the top,through which the key-supporting rod passes.

ANNA JENNINGS DANIEL.

Witnesses:

MARY VLEDBERGER, GEO. W. WADroW.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of IPatents,

Washington, D. C.

